Celebrity in Death (In Death #34)(117)

“Then we’ve primed the pump.”

Tears began to trickle down Valerie’s cheeks the minute Eve and Peabody walked into the interview room.

“Please, you’ve made a terrible mistake. This could ruin my career.”

“Gee, I bet K.T. felt the same way when you and Steinburger killed her.”

“What are you talking about! We did no such thing. I’m getting a lawyer.”

“Okay.” Shrugging, Eve rose again. “That’s going to take a few hours, given the time. Peabody, take Valerie back to a holding cell.”

“No! No!” As if to anchor herself in place, Valerie gripped the table. “Don’t put me in there again.”

“That’s where you wait until your lawyer clears. Meanwhile we’ll be talking to Steinburger. I’m sure he’ll have fascinating things to say about you.”

“This is crazy! I haven’t done anything.”

“Sorry, we can’t talk to you once you’ve requested a lawyer until your lawyer is present. Peabody.”

“No! I’m not going back in that cell. I’ll talk to you now.”

“You are waiving your right to a lawyer?”

“Yes. Yes. Let’s just get this straightened out.”

“Who left the theater on the night of K.T. Harris’s death?”

“K.T.” Valerie hunched her shoulders, gripped her forearms. “I saw her go out as soon as the houselights dimmed. Julian went out a few minutes later. I’m not sure how long, but a few minutes. And then, well, a few minutes later, Joel went out.”

“Anyone else?”

“Yes. Connie went out the side door. I only noticed because I was going to move over to her, ask her some questions about the buffet, for a story. But she slipped out even before K.T. And—and Nadine Furst, she went out. That was after everyone else.”

“Now try reverse. Who came back?”

“Connie, but close to the end of the show. And Nadine. I don’t think she was gone long. Ten or fifteen minutes, maybe. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Keep going.”

“K.T. and Julian didn’t come back, but Joel did. He was only gone a little while. Fifteen minutes, maybe. Not much longer than that. But I’m not sure. Honestly, I was getting some work done. That’s the truth.”

“Why didn’t you give us this information before?”

“Joel asked me not to. He said Julian and K.T. had argued, and she’d had an accident.”

“When did he tell you this?”

“That night, the night it happened. We were working on a statement for the media, and I said something about seeing people going in and out. I asked if he’d dealt with Julian, and how he wanted to handle it if he leaked he’d passed out drunk. And I was upset—anyone would be—and I wondered if the police were going to push at Julian because he’d left and hadn’t come back. That’s why I wanted to know if Joel had been with him.”

“And, Joel said?”

“He said we all had to do what was best now for each other, for the project. We had to protect each other, and then he told me what had happened. That it had been an accident, one she’d brought on herself but one Julian would pay for if the police knew he’d gone out after her. He said he’d take care of everything, and all I had to do was say I hadn’t seen anyone leave.”

“So you covered up a murder.”

“He said it was an accident. He said you’d twist it into a murder because you’d get more play out of it, with all the stars involved, you’d ride on it for months. Besides, K.T. was a hideous excuse for a human being, all right? I worked my ass off to keep the worst of her out of the media, and she never had a good word to say to or about me. Julian’s a sweetheart. So when Joel Steinburger asks me to keep quiet to keep Julian’s head off the block, I keep quiet.”

“For a price.”

Her mouth thinned. “He offered the bonus. Yes, I understood it was a bribe. I would’ve done as he asked without it, but I wasn’t going to turn down the money.”

“So you lied for him again, the very next day.”

“I was at his place. I was working, but … he did go out, at least for a while. He said he had a date, and he wanted my discretion. He and his wife are estranged, but he’s still married. It’s perfectly understandable he didn’t want anyone to know he was seeing someone. He’s entitled to a private life.”

“What time did he come back?”

“I don’t know. I swear.”

She covered her face with her hands. “God, how did this get to be such a mess.”

“Lying and covering up will do that.”

“I was just trying to do my job. That night I went to bed about midnight, and I checked, but the lights were still on in the foyer. The next day, before you talked to us about the detective, Joel called me into his office. He pointed out it would be easier, less complicated, if both of us had an alibi for the night before. As it was, neither of us did, and that would mean we’d stay under suspicion for the death of this man neither of us even knew. He said he knew he could count on me, and he said he’d arranged for the VIP suite, since I’d be so busy—and that my creativity and loyalty would be rewarded.